During the 1750s and 60s, the contouche became the most popular dress and was acceptable for formal, such as the official "state" portrait here. It subsequently developed to even more elegance: The front and sides closely hugged the waist now, the front was worn open to reveal a stomacher decorated with lace, embroidery and bows - of which each had a name and gallant meaning. Sometimes the bows would not sit on the stomacher as mere decoration, but be attached to the front of the gown to lace it closed.
More of the jupe was seen, so it had to have a (roughly horizontal) garniture of frills and rosettes. In fact, garniture went riot: artificial flowers, feathers, puffs, rosettes, frills, lace, and of course embroidery were all over the place. Instead of cuffs, the sleeves now had flounces from which multiple layers of bobbin lace flowed.
More of the jupe was seen, so it had to have a (roughly horizontal) garniture of frills and rosettes. In fact, garniture went riot: artificial flowers, feathers, puffs, rosettes, frills, lace, and of course embroidery were all over the place. Instead of cuffs, the sleeves now had flounces from which multiple layers of bobbin lace flowed.
Instead of the wide, almost floor-length hoop skirts, smaller short hoops (half paniers) and later hoops like a basket over each hip (considérations or pocket hoops) were more widely worn. Except for highly formal occasions such as weddings and court, the wide and flat paniers were outdated by the early 1750s.
The colours were much like in the previous decades, but wide vertical stripes became popular. They could appear as actual stripes woven into the fabric, often livened up by small flowers winding along them, or as vertical floral garlands.
Hairdos continued deceptively simple and were almost always powdered. Ladies and gentlemen would put on a special cloak, walk into a small room (the powder room) holding up a mask in front of their face, and have servants work a device under the ceiling that shed powder all over them to achieve an even distribution of powder on the wig.
The colours were much like in the previous decades, but wide vertical stripes became popular. They could appear as actual stripes woven into the fabric, often livened up by small flowers winding along them, or as vertical floral garlands.
Hairdos continued deceptively simple and were almost always powdered. Ladies and gentlemen would put on a special cloak, walk into a small room (the powder room) holding up a mask in front of their face, and have servants work a device under the ceiling that shed powder all over them to achieve an even distribution of powder on the wig.
